The BeatNicks

Colour, 35mm
USA, 2001, 98 min
Section: Special Events

Synopsis

Nick and Nick, poet and musician, are friends who are flat broke – mainly because, in contrast to the majority of their fellow citizens, they’ve never taken work seriously. These lazy loafers are idling away their lives – one in throwing together unabashed verses, the other in conjuring up weird notes – until fate puts a remarkable box in their way. We don’t know what’s in it but when musician Nick sticks his hand inside, wonderful sounds start coming out, which the other Nick accompanies with his poems. Performing together has a chance of success, both with the public and with a mysterious girl whom the poet recognizes as the companion of a rich but aloof man who takes him on as a chauffer. After a brief encounter the girl returns to her boyfriend. On top of that, the Nicks almost lose the box, and in the meantime, musician Nick gets rid of it in a bizarre way: he comes under the influence of Buddhist teachings. They get the box back in the end – but maybe that’s not such a good thing.

About the director

Nicholson Williams began making films while collaborating closely with Penelope Spheeris on her ground-breaking documentary The Decline of Western Civilization, and co-writing the feature Suburbia. He has also worked as a visual consultant for Emir Kusturica (Arizona Dream) and Donald Cammel (The Wild Side), and has written scripts with Malcolm McLaren. The BeatNicks is his feature directorial debut.